The present invention relates generally to cosmetic and medicinal applicators and, more specifically, to hand and other body part applicators for medicinal type agents or ointments and methods of manufacturing these applicators.
Hands and other body appendages of persons readily become chapped and/or react to exposure in adverse environments and therefore require the application of lubricating, moisturizing or medicinal type agents from time to time. Usually, these types of agents are applied to the hands or body appendages when needed, incurring a great inconvenience to the person to whom these agents have been applied. Firstly, these agents must be applied and rubbed into the affected area for a period of time in order to result in the desired absorption necessary to treat the affected areas. Secondly, the application of such agents leaves the appendages with a thin coating of the agent which readily contaminates many materials contacted by the appendage in daily living.
Many different approaches have been used in the past to provide the user with a device for treating appendages of the body. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,601,851, to Jones, an applicator for treating skin ailments is disclosed which utilizes a bag-like envelope for the feet specifically for the application of medication to treat ringworm or athlete's foot. The device requires breaking of an inner envelope containing the medication by exerting pressure on the foot bag envelope.
Another approach is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,916,036 to Sutton, which discloses rubber gloves having an elaborate composition of layers or holding areas containing globules therein such that the warmth of the hand to which the gloves are applied may allow some lanolin to escape down the fibers of the glove to the skin of the user.
Cahill, U.S. Pat. No. 3,116,732, discloses a disposable hand care glove comprising an outer layer of leak-proof material, an inner layer of porous material and a plurality of reservoirs for containing a hand-treatment medication. In order to use this device, the reservoirs must be ruptured.
Still another approach is shown by Charos, U.S. Pat. No. 3,342,182. This patent discloses a packaged cream applicator glove which fits tightly around a person's wrist, has inner and outer portions, and a plurality of cartridges for holding the cream which extend through slots in one of the outer panel portions. Again, pressure must be placed over the cartridges in order to massage the cosmetic preparation into the skin of the hand.
In contrast to the prior art, the instant invention does not require any complex structure, any special handling or application techniques, nor the rupturing of any portions of the instant dispenser. The dispenser aspect of the instant invention is directed to a simple and inexpensive device which contains the treating agent therein.
Various methods are also known by which these prior art gloves are provided with various treatment medications. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,384,083 to Cozza et al, discloses a plastic glove manufactured from a continuous length of heat sealable fiber upon which a medicant is sprayed by a printing device. A second layer of heat sealable film is superimposed over the first layer, in order to form an article of apparel. This article, however, has medicant applied to one inside surface thereof.
In contrast to the prior art, the manufacturing aspect of the instant invention is directed to processes by which dispensers formed from a single layer of material have their entire inside surfaces coated with medication.